Reversible drive for feed mechanism



H AL 2,506,686

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'. C. SANDERS REVERSIBLE DRIVE FOR FEED MECHANISMNVENTOR. 77u, C'. SANDERS BY HBEHHAHTPL//vs HTToR/VE ys May 9, 1950Filed Dec.

-May 9, 1950 l F. c. SANDERS ET AL 2,506,686

REVERSIBLE DRIVE FOR FEED MECHANISM Filed Deo. 2l, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2El mi- 95 53 55 55 541 f8 6463 67 i996 "4 l f u it l ELE- I 3 s PatentedMay 9, 1950 REVERSIBLE DRIVE FOR FEED MECHANISM Fill C. Sanders andAberhart P. Kling, Vimy Ridge, Ark.

Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 66,498

(Cl. i4-218) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to drive means for conveyors and feeding devicesassociated with sawmills and the like, and particularly to a reversibledrive or feed mechanism therefor.

The main object of our invention is to provide manually-controlled drivemeans for operating a feed or conveyor carriage mechanism a limiteddistance in one direction and then reversing the operation acorresponding distance in the opposite direction, and so indefinitely.

Another object is to provide a sawmill or other` apparatus with areversible drive which is readily controlled and reversed at will bymeans of a. single manually-operated lever in connection with which thedirection of a drive is determined by the direction of movement of thelever.

A further object is to have a reversible drive of the characterindicated in which a pair of shafts which are each provided with a pairof power transmission means capable of being alternativeiy connectedwith one of the corresponding transmission means on the other shaft fordriving in either selected direction of two possible opposite directionsof rotation at will.

An ancillary object is to have a pair of pulleys secured on a driveshaft with a pulley and a friction-engaging member secured on anothershaft which is mounted in such fashion as to be shiftable toward or fromthe first-mentioned drive shaft for selecting the direction of operationto be transmitted from said drive shaft to the other shaft.

It is also an object to have a reversible drive mechanism of thementioned type which is simple in construction and not only effectiveand certain to operate in use, but which requires only a triing movementfor transmitting power from one shaft to the other in the selecteddirection of operation, and also includes an intermediate neutral orinactive condition of adjustment Other objects and advantages of ourinvention will appear in further detail as the specification proceeds.Y.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for aproper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention isillustrated on the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a sawmill equipped with areversible drive or feed mechanism made according to the invention andembodying the same in a practical form, a limited portion of theconveyor being included, while the saw table is omitted for clarity inthe view;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the 55 reversible drive orfeed mechanism of the invention, with portions of the apparatus ofFigure 1 omitted to facilitate illustration of the main features of theinvention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the portions of the invention illustrated inFigure 2, parts being lroken away and parts also being shown in sec-Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale of a chain driveportion of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a saw cut guide or split knife of Figure 1shown on an enlarged scale;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the same saw cut guide or split knife asseen from the bottom in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the same saw cut guide or split knifeof Figures 6 and '7.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals indicate the same orlike parts.

In connection with various kinds of machinery,

` and especially on sawmills, it is desirable to have means for feedingand conveying pieces of wood and heavy lumber upon the mill to the sawto be cut into lumber, and also for reversing the feed conveyor orcarriage in order to bring the same back to a starting position again.It is selfevident that means for thus operating the carriage in onedirection and then reversing movement thereof must be of such nature asto be primarily simple and then also unobtrusive and likewise easy tooperate and control.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to us that a reversibledrive could well be built into the framework of a sawmill 'and operatedvfrom the mandrel of ,the circular saw in such cause feeding of thecarriage or feed mechanism in one direction and adjustment of the leverin l the opposite direction would cause reverse or return operation ofthe feeding mechanism or carriage. As a result, we have found it quitefeasible to produce a reversible drive or feed mechanism for such amachine as will now be more fully described.

end of the mentioned shaft is fixed a large pulley 23 to which a drivebelt 24 is connected and driven Y by a prime mover (not shown'lwhile inassociation with the frame, generally indicated at 9, is prog videdmovable feeding means, to be'des'cribed, andVY servingas a saw table orcarriage upon which planks, boards, lumber and various .pieces of wood Ymay be fed forwardly from the direction of crosspiece IQ toward the sawblade I1, While aqnore or* less conventional rip fence and guide meansor .y supports may be used onthe carriagerthese, latter partsbeing'omitted to clarify the view, in asmuchfas they are so wellknown'as to 'bei understood upon mere mention, thereof.

vThus far described, thesawmillis'more or less i, conventionaLbut. inconnectionlwith the same the feeding means referred to, generallyV-indi- Y cated at 25, primarily includes a movablercarriage Y26 which islocated Yad-jacent, the frame 9 at a level which allows lumber lying'thereon- .to be sawed by circular saw I1 -while' being fedpasttheflatter on the carriage. Y

During the sawing operation,aspecial saw cut Y gudeor splitknife-'21-.serves to prevent binding -or warping ofthe wood in suchmanner as to clamp the saw blade and slow down rotation thereof,thissplit knife 2'1'primarilyconsisting of a base-:portion zhavingalpairof:slots.29. through which a pair of adjusting bolts 30 extend clown Ythrough, or at least into,` the Vframe member I3 and a block 3I-securedto the framemember in Asuchfashion that the base 2'8. mayfbe adjustedalong the slotsf29-upon partial releasing of the bolts 3l?.VThementioned split knife 21v includes a slotfor cutretainer 32extendingvvertically in .substantially the samerplane as thesawrblade I1and being of the samewidth therewith for the purpose of entering intothe saw cut produced by saw bladev I1, thereby preventing collapse ofthe wood and clamping ofthe saw disc. Such occurrences may in some casesbe exceedingly dangerous, as the saw Vmay suddenly seize th'elwood andVproject Vit violently `rearwaro'l toward the operator., Thementioned'split yknifeormsa slot `a painof Vguide 'rails 34and 35forg-uidinga'nd supporting `the sa'me beyond fthe frame member'.

I3, as will presently appear.VV Y

YIn order to operatethe Yconveyor mechanism and thus' feed and returncarriage alongrals 311 and 35, power` isztaken from the saw. mandrel Y'or` shaft I3 inia manner Vwhich particularlyin- V'cludes the featuresofgthis invention, Vshaft i' are mounted a pair'of pulleys 31 and 38,the pulley 31 being of considerably smaller diameter than that of pulley38,VV whilein lineV Upon the withthe mentioned smaller pulley is arelatively 'larger pulleyaenxed upon mesma Y4e rotatably mounted in abearing 4 I, which in turn is mounted for swiveling by a bolt 42 on abearing base 43 on the intermediate longitudinally-arranged frame memberI2, being secured to the latter by bolts or screws 44. The bearing 4Iserves to support one end of shaft 49, while the other or outer end ismounted for rotation eXteriorly of pulley 39 in a shiftable lbearing. 45fixed to a pair of sliding members 4, 41 slidably mounted upon alongitudinally-arranged rod 43 fixed upon a pair of brackets 49Vand 5Flat the ends thereof,V

these brackets being mounted upon the longitudinal frame memberlltransversely of the axes of shafts I 6 and 40. On the guide rod et arexed J a'pair of stop collars 5I and 52, while upon the same rod aremounted a pair of compression springs 53 andV 54 between the collars 5Iand 52 and the slidable blocks 45 and 41 to which bearing' G5yis'secured by the screws or bolts 55, 55. If desired, both slidableblocks 46 and 41 and bearingV 45. maybe formed intoia rigdunitlandslidable as suchonrod 43. i

' On the shafti4in 'substantially thesame rplane with pulley 33 on shaftifisfixed awheeh generally indicated Yat'3z, forming a, transmissionmember with a resilient rubber or .plastic tirei normally spaced butaveryshortdistance 'from the. surface of pull'ey 38. At the Sametime,pulleys 3*! and 39 Yare interconnected byV means of a flat belt-51whichis normally ti'ght'in such fashion as to transmit rotationfrom'pulley 31 to pulley 39 whentire 56v is out of contact'with pulley3S. To the ensemble including "members dlanrd 41, as well as the`be'arirrg45 ,betweenV the two and secured to the same, `is connected alinkd bymeans of a pin or screw'ilatthe; inner end yof link 58, while atthe outer'endrthis Vlink is provided Wltha fork jconnected bya pirl- 6lYto the outer end of an afm 62 mounted on a lever Vcontrol shaft 63.supported in bearings 6,4, 65 secured upon members II andY I3 offrameleby means of screws/Vor.boltsli. Uponthe same lever Vcontrol shaft63 carrying. arnrz is fixed. a manually-operatedlever, 61ofsucientlength to provide eiective purchase to, partallyrotate shaft 53by-means oflever 61Whenthe same-iseither pulled or pushed by hand.Thear-rangement is such that when the lever is extended outward, asshownat 61 in Figurefl, linkfexerts a suf- -cient pull upon bearingdi toVdraw pulley 39 l belt 5'1 so thatro'tationofzpulley31'will`no longer betransmitted to pulley39, butinstead'tire 55 will be in direct'frictional' contact withthe pe riphery of pulley 38 and thusVshaft-lll'will be rotated inthe opposite direction to that whichpreviouslyV was transmitted thereto through Ybelt l51. The shifting` Yofbearing 45 isA facilitated by the swivel or pivotalfmounting v'42 Yof'Vbearing 4I Y on bearing base 43` Ysupported onflongitudinal framemember I2. Y Y ReturningV now to' ai detailed consideration of the feedmechanism,` the'carria'ge 26 isprovided therebeneath with'aV pairoiwheel axles Y14Y 14 Amounted for rotation in bearingsf15,f15 securedto the VVunder side ofthe carriage Vand provided cured upon a -pair oflongitudinally-arranged rail base members 11, 18 between which aresecured a pair of brace bars 19, 88, while to rail base member 11 areattached a pair of brackets 8|, 8I by means of bolts 82, 82. Thesebrackets are secured also to the outer sides f frame member I3 by bolts83, 83, thus rigidly connecting the rail structure with frame 9.

The purpose of the previously-mentioned reversal of shaft 40 which maybe effected during rotation of shaft I6 by -means of the control leverserves in this case to provide limited movement of feed carriage 26 inthe forward direction and then an equal movement in the oppositedirection on rails 34, 35 following such forward movement. Thus, uponthe inner end of shaft 40 is fixed a sprocket 68 connected by a chain 69to a relatively larger sprocket 10 fixed upon a shaft 1I. This shaft isrotatably supported in a pair of bearings 12, 13 supported beneath framemem.

bers I2 and I3, while upon the far end of shaft 1I beneath carriage railbase members 11, 18 a drum 84 is secured thereto. Upon the under side ofcarriage 26 are fixed a pair of eyes 85, 86 to which the ends 81 and 88of a cable, generally indicated at 89, are anchored, the cable endsbeing doubled back over a pair of sheaves 90, 9I in bearings 92, 93beneath braces 19, 88 and then brought to the opposite ends of drum 84.Upon the latter drum the main bulk of the cable is of a length toprovide a series of turns 94 wound thereon in such fashion that rotationof the drum in one direction will cause carriage 26 to travel with thecable in that direction, while when rotated in the opposite direction,the drum 84 will cause the cable 89 to feed carriage 26 in the oppositedirection.

Thus, rotation imparted by shaft I6 to shaft 40 in one direction willcause shaft 1I and drum 84 mounted thereon to rotate in the samedirection as saw mandrel I5 when belt 51 is tightened by a pull on lever61. When the lever is pushed toward the left in Figure 1, belt 51 isslack and instead the tire 56 on wheel 36 will engage frictionally withpulley 38 and shaft 40 will be rotated in the opposite direction whichwill also be true of shaft 1I and drum 14, with the result that carriage26 will be propelled in the opposite direction to that in which itpreviously was shifted, and thus the carriage may be fed forwardly inthe direction of travel intended for the wood to be sawed by circularsaw I1, and may thereafter be returned to original position to receivemore lumber thereon for further feeding and sawing thereof in theoriginal direction merely by controlling handle or lever 61.

In view of the fact that the saw shaft or mandrel I6 carries a heavyload both in sawing and in driving, in the reversible drive mechanismdescribed, the bearings I4 and I5 thereof are preferably secured bybolts 95, 95 to pillow blocks 96, 91, which in turn are secured to framemembers II and I3 by bolts 98, 98 providing a rigid and rm support forthe bearings and the shaft involved.

It is to be noted that pulleys 39 and 31 bear the same relation to eachother :as the tireequipped wheel 36 outside tire 56 to pulley 38, sothat in either direction of rotation, shaft 48 runs at substantially thesame speed. Should it be desired to make the carriage feed member 26travel more swiftly on the return movement than during forward feedingmovement, it is but necessary to increase the size of pulley 3-8 withrespect to the tire 56 on wheel 36 in contrast with pulley 39 in itsproportional size .and diameter to pulley 31. y

While we have described the reversible drive mechanism as operating afeed carriage associated with a sawmill, it is understood that this issimply a non-limiting example of its use, and hence, the apparatus `ofthe invention may be applied to, or built into, any machine or apparatusdesired in which it may serve to provide operation reversibly undermanual control.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may bemodified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described our invention, we claim:

1. Reversible drive mechanism, including a. pair of xed bearings, adrive shaft rotatably mounted in the fixed bearings, pulley means fixedon the drive shaft, there being means for driving said shaft in onedirection, a second pair of bearings, meansfor shiftably supporting atleast one of the latter bearings, a driven shaft rotatably Vmounted insaid second pair of bearings and having a power take-01T adjacent to theother of said second pair of bearings, a pulley fixed on the drivenshaft adjacent to the one shiftably-supported bearing, a belt connectingthe latter pulley with a portion of the pulley means on the drive shaft,a resilient tire-equipped wheel also mounted on said driven shaft closeto, but normally out of contact with, another portion of said pulleymeans on said drive shaft, and manually-controlled means for shiftingsaid one shiftable bearing and thereby shifting one portion of saiddriven shaft toward or from said pulley means in order to bring saidresilient tire-equipped wheel selectively into driving contact with theother portion of said pulley means and to separate the last-mentionedparts and tighten said belt at will.

2. Reversible drive mechanism, including a pair of fixed bearings, a-drive shaft rotatably mounted in the fixed bearings, pulley means fixedon the drive shaft having driving contact portions thereon, there beingmeans for driving said shaft in one direction, a second pair ofbearings, a shiftable support for one of said second pair of bearings, adriven shaft rotatably mounted in said second pair of bearings andhaving a power take-off adjacent to the other of said latter bearings, apulley fixed on the driven shaft adjacent to the one shiftably-supportedbearing, a belt connecting the latter pulley with a driving contactportion of the pulley means on the drive shaft, a resilienttire-equipped wheel also mounted on said driven shaft close to, butnormally out of contact with, another driving contact portion of saidpulley means on said drive shaft, a manually-operated lever pivotallymounted at one end thereof in spaced relation to the shiftablysupportedbearing, an operating arm rigid with said manually-operated lever havingone end thereof projecting into operative position, a link connectingsaid projecting portion of said arm with the shiftably-supported bearingin effective position t0 allow said arm upon movement of said lever toshift said shiftable bearing toward or from the drive shaft and therebyshift one portion of the driven shaft and the pulley and tireequippedwheel thereon in order to selectively tighten said belt or to slack saidbelt and instead bring said tire-equipped wheel into contact with theother driving contact portion upon said pulley means at will.

f; @t irreversible :mele-dine e supporting frame, a pair of fixedVbearings mounted f'upensadlffame-a drive-:shaft wtetebwmounted Y saidxedbearings. en rfafrpulleys fixed upon safiddrive shaft, there-'beingmeans for driving V.said shaft in one dir eetip, ari-*elongated guide:member Xedv-upon :said -ifrema bearing support 1 slid-ably mounted usensaid .guide memperi resilient means mizlliled upon said guide member ineifetive positign `to resi-liently `dampen movements of saidbearingfsupport means in veitl'ier direction along sai-dguidemember,abear VVing- .fixed-upon said bearing-'support means, Va

further bearing aligned with said last-mentioned yl)estima mounteduponsaid frame, a driven shaft rotatably mounted in saidVlast-mentionedtwo 'xseidframea manually-operated iever.-1xed open :thezthirdqshaft,.fanoperating arm Valso fixed upon said-mild shaft, "a,linkintelconneeting said arm and said Ybeeft-111e'-supportmeans forshifting the latter along ,said V guide memberfupon movement l,of YsaidInalllzldlxly-011@ratedlever in 'order to sev--ectiveiy tighten.saidrbeit or bring said tireequipped wheel into, driving Contact withV:said other-pulley on said drive shaft, at will, and a power Vtakeeofon said driven vshaft ladjacent .to "the second bearing supporting saiddriven shaft.

FILL `C. SANDER-s. ABERHART P. KLING.

Y REFERENCES CITED 'The vfollowing references are of record in the dileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date` 152,171 Rodgers J une ,16, 18742,019,448 F'icos't Feb. 19, 1878 475,046 Palmer May 17., 1892

